If Things Should Stay the Same

Flashback: Impression

Approaching the young man in a panda-themed hooded sweater sitting on the floor at the furthest corner of the room, the duo – a blond and a brunet – wanted to start their first day of the school year with a good deed. Having a hunch that the one they were walking towards was a new student, they knelt down and looked at their cross-legged schoolmate who was busy reading something from a notepad.

"Hi! What's your name?" the blond asked with a nervous smile, exchanging brief glances with his companion. Judging by his shaky voice, he sounded like he had never done this before and was likely worried about the first impression he was making.

Not even bothering to meet their gazes, he coldly answered, "Sev."

"Pardon?"

"I said you can call me 'Sev'!" he repeated in slightly raised voice, followed with a snobbish snort.

"Is that short for Sebastian or Severin? Severus? Nickname for Sven?" asked the brunet with a curious expression etched on his face.

With an audible annoyed sigh, he stashed the notepad back into his backpack and made eye contact with Alex and then Joshua. "My name is Seven. Like the number." He did not sound anywhere near pleased having said that. It was almost as if he was embarrassed by his first name. It felt like a bitter pill to spit out instead of a simple word that rolled out of his tongue.

"Pleased to meet you, Seven!" The blond stretched his hand out for a handshake.

"Yeah, pleased to meet you too!" The brunet echoed, repeating his friend's action.

"Just call me 'Sev'. It feels weird when people call me by my first name." He gently pushed their hands away and shook his head, appearing to be repulsed by the notion of making hand-to-hand contact with other people.

Although Sev was clearly avoiding to continue speaking with them, he found their presence a bit comforting. No one had approached him in the last six hours at school. Whether it was in the classrooms or the cafeteria or even the gymnasium, none of the other students dared to come near him willingly except when they had to pass handouts or photocopies to him.

That did not exactly meant he was not going to have a little fun with two prospective acquaintances though. This was his chance to evaluate not only what he would like to perform on the school's talent show but also if they were the kind of people he would like to be around with.

"I am-" The blond's introduction was cut off by Sev.

"Ah-le-san-der and Yew-shwah. Thanks, got it." He first pointed at the blond upon saying the first name, then to the brunet as he spoke the second with a thick and heavy accent mixed in the indifferent tone of his voice.

"What? How'd you even know that before we-?" Joshua gasped before being interrupted once more by Sev.

"Before you guys introduced yourselves?" Sev pretended to squint his eyes in puzzled fascination. "Sometimes, I'm kind of a psychic," he said in a low voice as if whispering.

"Really?" Both Alex and Joshua exclaimed in unison.

"Just kidding! I'm in the same class as you guys. I heard your names while we were taking attendance. I try not to forget faces," he replied in a dull monotone, forcing a smile on his face. The most he managed was the tightening of his lips at the sides with his bored-looking expression betraying the concept of the gesture.

Surprisingly easy enough to be impressed, Sev thought to himself. Maybe he could test them a little further. He wanted to know if they came to him willingly and not because of other reasons which is why he was going to put on the façade of a distant unsociable loner.